Anti biotics & MS
 

This was a bad month for my MS. I took everything from Bactrim (a half broken in half) per day, Keflex 500mg 2x/day, Macrobid, all on different days for darn UTI, even cranberry pills, ate cranberries, garlic (works better then cranberry pills for me), all to clear it up for minor uro surgery I had almost 2 weeks ago & MS got worse. Coincidence?

If anyone knows technical details why/how anti xxx effect MS, please enlighten me, us. Thank you.

Ed

I've read a few articles about how some antibiotics can cause a worsening of neurological symptoms in people who are neurologically compromised. I found out about it when I read the info packet that came with some antibiotics I was taking once.

Quinilones (Cipro) and Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid) are two that I've read about that have a side effect of worsening nerve damage.

I still will take those antibiotics because hopefully it'll kill whatever nastiness that's latched onto me when I'm sick. I dont know if the side effects are permanent or not tho.

Eddie,

It is more than likely the infection (UTI) which caused a worsening of your MS symptoms and NOT the antibiotics. Infections, viruses, the flu can cause a Pseudo-Exacerbations and is self-limiting, once the infection, virus, flu clears up your MS symptoms will usually return to what is normal for you.

I don't know if this means much, but I do know that antibiotics wipe out the good bacteria as well as the bad in the gut and cause the overgrowth of yeast....I am sure that it can't help.

Keflex is my enemy - not necessarily MS wise but in general, I can't stand what it does to my system.

Lyn